Rising drifting mine



Dec. 17, 1946. .1.13. 'GLENNON 2,412,770

RISING DRIFTING MINE Filed sept. 27, 19:52

Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED ST rss ALT?

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 16 Claims.

This invention relates to a drifting submarine mine that will rise upward after a portion of the assembly has beencontacted by a ship and has among its objects:

To provide a mine that will not be deected by the bow wave of an approaching vessel, that will generally detonate under the vessel rather than alongside thereof, and that will embody means to delay the explosion until the mine is under the amidship section close to the vitals of the ship rather than at the forward extremity thereof where the eifect of damage can be localized.

With the above and other objects in view, the

. invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a mine assembly according to my invention wherein the mine is floating freely; Fig. la, shows the assembly just after the ballast weight has been dropped and the mine has begun to rise; and Fig. 1b shows the mine under the ship an .instant before the explosion;

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the wiring circuit of my invention. v

My invention comprises vthree principal parts: First, a mine body 3 that floats far enough beneath the surface of the water to avoid horizontal deflection by the bow wave of anv approaching ship connected by means of a cable or line 4 (hereinafter called the antenna) to, second, one or more antenna oats 5 sufficiently near the surface to be struck by a passing vessel and, third, a buoy 6 that floats on the surface and is connected to float 5 by cable l to maintain the other parts of the assembly at the proper depth. However, the buoy 6 is knot essential, as the depth of the float 5 and mine 3 may be regulated by mechanism within those parts.

The mine body 3 is provided with the usual subassemblies but particularly with a ring mechanism that is actuated when either antenna 4 or one of the contact horns 8 of float 5 is struck by a vessel and with a delay detonator l2 that ignites when the firing mechanism is operated but does not explode the charge of the mine until several seconds later. The mine body is further provided with an external ballast weight 9 that isreleased by the firing of a release pistol simultaneously with the initiation of the operation of the firing mechanism of the mine.

Float 5 is small in volume and insignificant in weight in comparison to the mine body 3. Being at a level where the eiect of a bow wave is great, the oat 5 may be temporarily thrown aside as the vessel Hl approaches, but since such movement displaces the float from its position of equilibrium above mine body 3, a restoring force is present that draws the float back into contact with the hull of the ship, thereby starting the train of operations that results in the detonation of the mine.

The release of ballast. weight 9 gives the mine body a positive buoyancy that will cause the mine to rise even though the buoy and float are both torn away by the ship, the weight 9 being suicient to overcome such buoyancy. The mine rises during the interval between ignition of the delay fuse and the detonation of the mine charge, and as the Vessel will have moved forward during this time, it is apparent that the actual explosion willoccur against or close to, generally under, the vessel at a location some distance aft of the bow. Thus substantially the entire force of the explosion will be exerted upwardly against the ship, due to the resistance of the water beneath the mine and at the sides thereof.

The ring mechanism is of the well known sea battery type and is so designed that any iron object brought into contact-with copper cable 4 will actuate the firing device and explode the mine. Horns -8 are of iron, and when bent over by contact with a. ship they touch the copper sleeves or cups l I disposed around the bases of the horns and in electrical connection with cable 4 and thus the ring mechanism is operated, the cups H being electrically insulated from the horns. Cable 'l is a cotton rope and has nothing to do with the ring device of the mine, float 6 serving merely to overcome the slight negative buoyancy of the mine assembly.

Fig. 2 illustrates the firing mechanism in th mine body, including a delay detontator l2 that explodes the mine a definite interval after the sea battery circuit has been closed, a release pistol primer i3 connected in parallel with detonator l2 to fire the release pistol at the instant of contact to free weight S from the mine body, a battery i4 to supply the firing current, a, hydrostatic :safety switch i5 to prevent firing the mine before it is planted in case of .accidental closing of switch l5 whichis connected to be closed by the action cf the sea battery. Switch i 5 remains open until the mine bas reached the depth at which it is to oat; thereafter, upon contact of a ship with a horn 8 or with antenna l the sea battery closes switch l5, thus completing the iiring circuit, whereupon primer i3 fires the release pistol and causes weight 9 to be dropped and the action of delay detonator l2 'is initiated. As soon as `weight 9 is dropped, the mine body begins to rise, the delay action of detonator I2 allowing suicient time for the mine to reach a position at or very near to the bottom of the contacting vessel before the explosion of the charge.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawing comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention, and that various changes in construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be made Within the scope of the appended claims Without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government oi the United States of America, for governmental purposes Without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. In combination, a mine body, ring mechanism therein, a weight releasably attached to the exterior thereof, means to release said weight at the initiation of operation of the ring mechanism of said body, said mine body having positive buoyancy after the release of said Weight, a copper antenna cable connected to the ring mechanism of said body, an antenna float, copper cups on said iioat connected to said cable, a bendable iron contact horn in each of said cups insulated therefrom, and a buoy connected to said oat.

2. In combination, a mine body, firing mechanism therein, a Weight releasably attached to the exterior thereof, means to release said Weight at the initiation of operation of Vthe ring mechanism of said body, said mine body having positive buoyancy after the release of said weight, a copper antenna cable connected to the firing mechanism of said body, an antenna float, copper cups on said float connected to said cable, a contact horn in each of said cups insulated therefrom, and a buoy connected to said iioat.

3. In combination, a mine body, ring mechanism therein, a Weight releasably attached to the exterior thereof, means to release said weight at the initiation of operation of the ring vmechanism of said body, said mine body having positive buoyancy after the release of said Weight, a copper antenna cable connected to the firing mechanism of said body, an antenna oat, copper cups on said iloat connected to said cable, and a contact horn in each of said cups insulated therefrom.

4. In' combination, a mine body, firing mechanism therein, a weight releasably attached to the exterior thereof, means to release said weight at the initiation of operation of the ring mechanism of said body, said mine body having positive buoyancy after the release of said weight, an antenna cable connected to the firing mechanism of said body, said cable forming part of a sea battery circuit, an antenna oat, and contact devices on said oat connected to said cable and adapted to close said circuit.

' 5. In combination, a mine body having inherent positive buoyancy, firing mechanism therein, a Weight releasably attached to said body, means to release said weight at the initiation of operation of the firing mechanism of said body, a sea battery circuit electrically connected to said firing mechanism, said circuit including an antenna cable connected to said body, a float attached to said cable and adapted to float beneath the surface of the Water, and means carried by said float and connected to said cable to initiate operation 4 of said firing mechanism when contacted by a vessel.

6. In combination, a mine body having inherent positive buoyancy, a ring mechanism therein, a Weight releasably attached to said body, means to release said weight at the initiation of operation of the ring mechanism of said body, a sea battery circuit electrically connected to said ring mechanism, said circuit including an antenna cable connected to said body and means connected to said cable and adapted to noat above said body at a depth to be contacted by a passing vessel, said means being adapted to initiate operation of the ring mechanism of said body when so contacted.

7. In combination, a mine body having inherent positive buoyancy, ring mechanism therein, a weight releasably attached to said body, means to release said Weight at the initiation of operation of the firing mechanism of said body, said body being adapted to float at a depth too great to be disturbed by the bow wave of a vessel while said Weight is attached, and means connected to said body to initiate operation of the firing mechanism of said body upon contact with a vessel and adapted to float at a depth at which it may be so contacted.

8. In combination, a mine body having inherent positive buoyancy, firing mechanism therein, a Weight releasably attached to said body, means to release said weight at the initiation of operation of the firing mechanism of said body, a oat connected to said body to remainnormally at a depth to be contacted by a. vessel, said float being light in comparison with said body whereby, when said oat is displaced by a Wave set up by a moving vessel, the connection between said float and said body Will draw said-iioat back into contact with the vessel, and means on said float to initiate operation of the ring mechanism of said body when so contacted. v

9. In a submarine drifting mine, a mine body, ring mechanism therein, a weight releasably attached thereto and adapted to be released therefrom at the initiation of operation of the firing mechanism of said body, said body having inherent buoyancy whereby it will rise when said Weight is released, and means adapted to initiate operation of said ring mechanism upon contact with a vessel.

10. In a submarine mine, an explosive charge therein, a mine body, a Weight releasably attached to said body, a source of electric current in said body, a delay ring means for the charge in said therein, a mine body, aweight releasably at-l tached to said body, a source of electric current in said body, firing means for the charge in said body actuatable by said source, means actuatable by said source to initiate the release of said weight, and means to close the circuit through said firing means and said second mentioned means.

12. In combination, a mine'body, a firing mechanism therein, a copper antenna cable con-- nected to the ring mechanism of said body, an antenna float, copper cups on said float connected to said cable, and a contact horn of a different metal from the cup respectively arrangedin each of said cups and insulated therefrom.

13. In a submarine mine, a mine body having an explosive charge therein, a Weight releasably attached to said mine body, said body being adapted to rise in the Water after the weight has been released, means responsive to contact with a vessel for causing said weight to be released, and means for ring said explosive charge in predetermined time delay relation With respect to the release of said weight.

14. In a submarine mine adapted to float at a predetermined depth of submersion within a body of Water, a mine casing, a weight releasably attached to said mine casing, means for releasing said Weight, means responsive to contact with a vessel for causing the weight to be released by said releasing means, means for initiating the explosion of said explosive charge as the mine starts to rise within the water, and means for delaying the explosion of said explosive charge until sucient time has elapsed for the mine to rise Within the water to a depth oi' submersion corresponding to the draft of the vessel.

15. A floating submarine mine of the character disclosed having an explosive charge therein, a weight releasably secured to said mine sufficient to impart a negative degree of buoyancy thereto, means including a buoyancy member for causing the mine to oat at a predetermined depth of submersion Within a body of Water, a source of electrical power, electro-responsive control means adapted to release said Weight, means responsive to contact with a vessel for closing an electrical circuit from said source of electrical power to said electro-responsive control means thereby to release said Weight and cause the mine to rise within the water, and means initiated by said circuit closing means concurrently with the release of said weight for causing the explosive charge to be red in predetermined time delay relation with respect to the release of said Weight.

16. In a submarine mine of the character disclosed, the combination of a buoyant mine casing, a Weight releasably secured to said casing of suicient mass to cause the mine to sink Within the water, said mine `casing having positive buoyancy after the release of said Weight, a length of cable secured to said mine casing having a buoyant member attached thereto, a float secured to said buoyant member adapted to remain on the surface of the water and maintain the buoyant member and mine submerged at predetermined depths of submersion respectively, an explosive charge Within the casing of said mine, circuit closing means on said buoyant member adapted to be actuated by contact with a vessel, means controlled by said circuit closing means for releasing said weight in response to the actuation of the circuit closing means by said vessel thereby to cause the mine to rise Within the water, and means adapted to be operated by said circuit closing means concurrently with the release of said Weight for vcausing the explosive charge to be exploded in time delay relation with respect to the actuation of the circuit closing means.

JANES B. GLENNON. 

